Our Mission

I founded Red Parka in 2008, and from the beginning I knew I wanted Red Parka to be more than just a business. Whilst earning enough to support myself and my family was my goal initially, now that Red Parka is growing, it's really important to us that Red Parka stands for something bigger. It's also so exciting that as we grow, we can do more good things! Thank you for being a part of that!

The Red Parka mission has 2 parts.

1. We aim to make people happy!

It's a simple concept, but an important one. Life can be tough and there is so much negativity everywhere we look. With Red Parka, I aim to make everyone who visits us, whether in person to our Hobart store or online, experience a moment of happiness. A moment of lightness in a sometimes-heavy world, a moment where one can feel positive and hopeful and a part of something good. I want you to feel like you belong here, with us. A tribe of good people trying to do good things with our time on earth!

I aim to do this by creating and selling bright, bold and interesting designs that capture the imagination and make people smile, that they can enjoy regardless of whether or not they choose to spend their money. And if they do spend their money, they know that every purchase they make is making a positive contribution to the world. Lofty? Perhaps.... but so important. Which leads me to the second part of our mission.

2. To contribute to a better world.

In my life, I've often felt hopeless and despairing of what's going on in the world, especially in our natural world with animal extinctions and cruelty, and the destruction of our wild places. I want to change the world but for so long didn't know how I could possibly do that. I'm just an artist from Tasmania - I'm not a doctor or a politician or a scientist or a celebrity with influence. For a long time, I felt quite useless! But... I can draw! And I can create beautiful things that make people happy. This, I realised, is my superpower!

So with that in mind, I set about growing the Red Parka brand to be a business that stands for all that's good in the world. And every single purchase you make with us contributes something positive to the world, be it supporting the life and family of an independent artist, buying a product that helps protect the environment, buying a fair trade product that supports disadvantaged communities in other regions of the world, or buying one of our specially design products that contribute to good causes - saving animals, protecting the environment or supporting marginalised people.

My commitment to you!

So that's my commitment to you! Every single purchase with us is something you can feel good about, knowing that not only have you purchased something awesome for yourself or your loved ones, but you've made a difference, however small, in the world. You've helped me support my own family, my community and the causes I care about. You've supported an independent artist in Tasmania, Australia, or somewhere across the globe who in turn support their own families and communities. Perhaps you've helped an animal conservation group look after more animals, or provided invaluable income to a women's group in Cambodia so they can afford to send their kids to school, or supported an environmental organisation protect our wilderness.

It may be small, but we growing and every drop of goodness helps turn the tide - and you're a part of that!

So thank you, once again, for being here, for reading my mini manifesto, and supporting me on my mission of creating a better world through colour, art, love and laughter!

Every purchase (however small), every share, like or comment, means the world to me.